Naaman and Baptism

During the reign of Joram King of Israel (2 Kings 5) the rival King of Aram had as Commander of his armies a valiant warrior named Naaman. Naaman didn’t know it but God had blessed him and through him made the King of Aram very successful. However, for all of Naaman’s (God given) success and riches and honor he was humbled with the disease of Leprosy. No matter what he achieved he was still Naaman the Leper.

Through the advice of a young Hebrew slave girl he traveled to Israel to be cured by the great Hebrew prophet Elisha.

Naaman with his entourage and fabulous wealth traveled to Jerusalem and came to the door of Elisha’s home to be cured.

Elisha did not even answer the door, instead he sent a messenger telling Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River and he would be cured. Naaman was furious at this treatment and said,

“I thought that he (Elisha) would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy”.

One of his servants talked him down from his great anger and Naaman calmed down, went to the Jordan River, dipped in it seven times and was cured. And said,

“Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.”

Naaman’s experience reminds me of how man’s sins are washed away in the waters of baptism. Naaman had no faith in the power of Elisha he just came out of curiosity and great hope. Elisha didn’t manage Naaman’s expectations. Naaman expected some big deal to happen for him. After all he was very important and had an incurable disease. But a servant reasoned with him and just enough faith grew in Naaman to cause him to follow God’s instructions. When he saw the results his faith grew.

The same thing happens for humanity today. We are inflicted with a horrible, incurable disease… our own sins. The great cure is the blood of Jesus Christ available to us in the waters of Baptism. It doesn’t require great faith to be a Christian, just enough to lead us to that first step. As with Naaman the great blessings that come with being a child of God causes our confidence and faith to grow

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What if Naaman had said, bring me a pitcher of water from the Jordan River and sprinkle it on me seven times? What if he had dipped six times instead of seven? What if he had chosen a different river?

The answer is he would still have leprosy because faith requires obedience to God’s instruction. So too Baptism for he remission of sins.